The Problem With Love
by sarcasticReckoning
Summary: Rose Lalonde can't seem to find love, no matter how hard she looks. Has she just been looking in the wrong places? Was the love she was looking for right in front of her this whole time? Humanstuck, RoseMary. One -shot.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Homestuck. **

* * *

Your name is ROSE LALONDE. You are troubled somewhat.

While you admit that your problems could be attributed to just normal high-schooler problems, you like to think your problems are different.

Even though three million other teenagers are going through what you're going through.

The reason for your problems? Love.

You can't seem to find love and it bothers you, more than you can admit.

Even John found love… and that really discourages you for some reason.

Your friends are all pointing you towards one person, but you refuse to believe them because the person in question happens to be one of your best friends.

You just hope that your dates will come through at some point.

* * *

**Rose: Go on a date.**

* * *

You sit, sipping a drink. You don't know what it is, you just know that you tuned out your date after his eighteenth blabber about whatever it was.

Kankri concludes his statement, looking at you expectantly. You don't know what he wants, or what he just said, so you settle for using one of your tricks.

"Well…" You begin to say as you discreetly take your iPhone out of your purse. "Hm…"

Slide to the right… third and above… your ringtone starts ringing and Kankri looks startled.

"Rose, is that your phone?" He asks you and you nod, looking at the display.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to take this," you say, pretending to click a button while discreetly muting your phone and he nods himself.

"Of course. Must be important."

You fake a smile and turn, facing your back to him. You can hold your own pretty well in a nonversation.

"What do you want?" You hiss, fully aware that Kankri is watching your fake conversation.

"I know, but I'm on a date!" You smile at Kankri, hoping he'll fall for it. "Now? But…"

"You're sure?" You continue to pretend, glancing up at Kankri apologetically. "This is _that_ important?"

You nod grimly. "I'll be there in ten." You 'hang up.'

"Kankri, I am so, so, sorry," you lie. You're not sorry, really. Some part of you, deep inside, feels bad. But now you've been on so many busted dates that you are used to ditching in the middle of the main course by now.

"I really need to go," you slide your phone back into your purse. This is standard, of course.

"It sounded urgent," Kankri comments. "You really should go. After all, I was just saying that the punctuality of the…"

And there he goes again. "Bye, Kankri," you smile politely, rushing out of the resturant.

Well, that was a bust.

* * *

**Complain to John about your date.**

* * *

"-and he just kept talking, and talking, and talking," you complain to John once you're out of there. "He wouldn't shut up!"

"Kind of like the way you're doing right now," John interrupts, placing a finger over your mouth. "Just be quiet and relax," he returns to massaging your shoulders. You sigh, and the tension lessens.

"You're a good friend, John." You can hear the smile in his voice as he replies.

"Thank you, Rose."

* * *

**Rose: ****Be the other guy.**

* * *

You have no idea what that means, and you have no time to ponder over that because you are getting ready for your brother's "get-together", the one he has every Friday night.

Since you all graduated from high school, Dave has been having "get-togethers" so you don't lose contact. Normally your get-togethers end in sloppy makeouts (Meenah and Aranea) or someone gettng dead drunk (Roxy) or everyone watching Con Air for the umpteenth time.

Fortunately, only six of the gang from Alternia are coming, plus John and Jade. If John requests Con Air _again_, you know that this is just going to be one huge snoozefest.

You cease brushing your hair as the doorbell rings, signifying that someone's here.

Your phone pings.

After answering the text from Kanaya telling you that she'll be late, you lock your phone and hurry down the stairs to find that Nepeta has arrived.

"Hello, Nepeta," you say, not surprised when she reaches in for a hug.

"Hiya, Rose!" She chirps, happy as usual. "I'm _paws_itively convinced that today is going to be _purr_fect!"

There she goes, speaking in cat puns again. Her blue hat is cleaner than usual, but the felt tail that drags on the floor is about as dirty as her olive green overcoat.

You swear, she never takes that thing off.

Vriska Serket appears in the still-open doorway. Vriska grins at you, her smile bright and her lips as blue as usual.

"Where's Strider? I thought he was hosting this thing," Vriska asks, her smile slipping for a second.

Dave emerges from a side room. You find the blush that appears on his cheeks when he sees Vriska hilarious.

When Vriska spots him, she reacts as well, though her reaction is less conspicious than Dave's. Although maybe Dave's is just conspicuous because you know him so well. After all, he is your brother.

It's no secret that Dave and Vriska are practically in love with each other, though both of them (Dave, at least) are loathe to admit it.

You glance over at Nepeta and see that she's pulled out her tablet, typing furiously, and you roll your eyes, knowing she's taking notes on Dave and Vriska to update her shipping wall once she gets home.

She never rests, that girl.

* * *

**Kanaya: Be a little late.**

* * *

You knock on the door of the Strider-Lalonde residence. When nobody answers, you just walk in. The door is most ironically unlocked.

Entering the living room, you raise an elegant eyebrow at the sight of Con Air on the television. As usual, John is the only one paying attention. Everyone can quote directly from this anyway. Dave is doing something on his iShades, Vriska asleep on his shoulder. They're practically cuddling. Dave doesn't look like he minds, though.

Jade is trying to pay attention, though not doing so very well, and Rose is half asleep on on the couch arm.

Nepeta is watching Dave and Vriska carefully. Karkat is talking on the phone with somebody in a corner, and Meenah is trying to sneak around to the TV and shut it off, though Aranea is barring her way.

Dirk, Roxy, Jane, and Jake seem to be absent. Probably got the memo that Con Air's on.

You cross over to Rose, and knowing she gets cold, you grab a blanket and toss it over the both of you.

Rose blinks awake just long enough to note you're there. Obviously nothing has registered in her mind correctly, as she nestles herself into you, tucked up against your chest, your arms around her.

You're at a perfect angle to where you can see Rose's face. She looks younger when she sleeps. There's less stress on her face.

She looks pretty, you notice in an offhand way, her eyelashes fluttering slightly as she breathes in and out.

You break your stare, noticing that Nepeta is now furiously typing notes on you, or what she's dubbed as "Rosemary".

You have to give it to her, though, that girl is dedicated.

Rose pulls herself closer to you, her breathing becoming more even. Holy shit, that girl really is asleep, you think to yourself.

Oh, well, you think. You could get used to this.

You could definitely get used to this.

* * *

**Rose: Go on yet another date.**

* * *

You did. That one failed, too. You are beginning to think you will never find love, even though you are only eighteen.

Maybe you should look into what your friends have been telling you all this time...

* * *

**Rose: Hang out with your friends.**

* * *

Roxy, your much older sister who is somewhat of an alcoholic, decides she wants to meet your friends. Some of them, at least.

Nobody is available, though, so you beg Kanaya to come, to at least give some semblance of dignity. Instead she sends Meenah and Aranea, Feferi's and Vriska's older sisters respectively.

You can really feel the love.

"So when we meetin this sistah of yours?" Meenah asks in her Jersey accent. "She sounds hot and all, but I got otha things I needa do."

"Meenah, must you be so crude all the time?" Aranea scolds her, though with a soft smile on her face.

Meenah gives Aranea a flirty wink. "You're tha one who likes to blow things outta porpoision," she says, snapping her gum.

Aranea blushes deeply. "Meenah!"

You roll your eyes and keep driving to your sister's house.

* * *

Once you get there, Roxy is there with a martini in hand, welcoming you into the house she shares with Jane, Dirk, and Jake.

"Heyyyyyyyy Rose," she says, slightly slurring her words. She's tipsy. As usual.

"Hello," you say tentatively, not sure if she's a cheerful drunk or angry drunk today. It's a tossup whenever you come visit her.

"I'm prepping for a party," Roxy says, setting her martini down. She isn't that drunk, but you bet she'll be smashed later.

"Who're you inviting?" You ask.

"All your friends," Roxy says happily. "Plus some of my friends."

"Seriously?" You ask her. "I brought Aranea and Meenah."

"Nice to meet y'all," Roxy turns to them, still beaming. So she's a happy drunk today. "Hope you can stay for the party. It's going to be - amazing," she stumbles over her words slightly.

"Really?" Meenah asks. "Cause I jus' might stay."

"Yup!" Roxy cheers. "Dave and Dirk and DJ-ing in turns, so the music's probably going to be shamazing!"

Aranea looks like she's about to refuse, but a little persuading from Meenah has her agreeing to stay.

You grin. This party's going to be pretty good, you can feel it.

* * *

**Rose: Party time!**

* * *

This party is awesome. Just like you knew it would be.

Roxy's thrown the party of the century. She's invited people from her university as well as random people from your high school.

Dave is currently DJ-ing, and you think his popularity is just going to shoot up the way the party's been going. He switches out with Dirk, and comes over to you.

Over the loud, pounding music, he manages to ask you how you like the party, and you manage to say that you think it's pretty cool.

It gets even louder with Dirk at the table, though, so you wave to Dave and head outside for a change of scenery.

You find Kanaya sitting out there, watching the fireflies which are coming out in the warm summer air.

"It's beautiful tonight, isn't it?" You ask her, sitting down. You can tell by her reaction that she wasn't expecting you to come out here.

"Yes, it is," she replies, and you can't help but think that Kanaya isn't really suited to the party life.

"You don't really like parties, do you?" You laugh, and Kanaya offers a smile.

"Is it that obvious?"

You stand up, offering her your hand. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" She takes your hand.

"Just come on."

* * *

**Rose: Go to the lake.**

* * *

You thank your lucky stars you know where everything is, even in the rapidly approaching darkness.

You lead Kanaya to a dock where the two of you are just in time to watch the sun dip back down under the horizon.

"It's beautiful," Kanaya remarks. You look down at the water, knowing that it's both cold and that there aren't any harmful fish. You grin mischievously.

"What?" Kanaya notices your expression. "No, Rose, no-"

You push her into the lake, but she drags you down with her. You'd forgotten she was still holding your hand.

You two climb up onto the dock, coughing up water and freezing cold but laughing like crazy.

"That was awesome," Kanaya laughs, and your breath catches at the sight of her wet hair as she runs her fingers through it.

As you are both standing up, you trip on a loose board in the dock and Kanaya catches you.

Looking up into her sparkling eyes, even through the darkness, you've never seen anything so beautiful.

Once you're steadied, she envelopes you in a hug. "I love you, Rose," she whispers tenderly in your ear.

Suddenly you're not so cold anymore.


End file.
